Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 48 schools in district

Smithfield-Selma High

700 M. Durwood Stephenson Park, Smithfield, NC 27577Johnston County Public Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,503
Students
Total enrolled
89%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$11,360
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 21% vs nat'l
16.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 5% vs nat'l
33/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 33% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,503 students in grades 09–12 in Smithfield, North Carolina.
21% below average funding
District spends $11,360 per pupil, 21% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 33th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Smithfield-Selma High is a very large high in Smithfield, North Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 1,503 students. The district invests $11,360 per student — 21% below the national average of $14,347, with a 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 69% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 33/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Smithfield-Selma High

1,503
Total Students
16.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
69%
Free Lunch
93
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution732 male · 771 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility69%
National avg 52% · 1,036 students
Student Composition
20%
49%
26%
Asian1%
White20%
Hispanic / Latino49%
Black26%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370237001028

Academic Outcomes at Smithfield-Selma High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
89
Near avg
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
89%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
33
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 33th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 6th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 27577

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$11,360Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$11,360
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,998
Student Support$2,158
Administration$1,363
Operations$1,704
Other$1,136
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $11,360 spent per student, an estimated $5,032 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
62%
21%
State government
62.2%
Local (property tax)
20.7%
Federal programs
17.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 89% graduation rate — near the national average of 87%
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $11,360/student, 21% less than the national average
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (33/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Four Oaks ElementaryPolenta ElementaryWest View ElementaryRiver Dell Elementary
+11 more
↓
Middle
Archer Lodge MiddleRiverwood MiddleCleveland MiddleSwift Creek Middle
+3 more
↓
High School
Corinth Holders HighClayton HighCleveland HighWest Johnston High
+3 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyJohnston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictJohnston County Public Schools →
Phone: (919)934-5191
NCES ID: 370237001028
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Smithfield seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Johnston County Public Schools
High
Corinth Holders High
2,219 students · 09–12
● 38 opp32% FRL
High
Clayton High
2,024 students · 09–12
42% FRL
High
Cleveland High
1,879 students · 09–12
35% FRL
High
West Johnston High
1,469 students · 09–12
38% FRL
High
South Johnston High
1,331 students · 09–12
56% FRL
Mid
Archer Lodge Middle
1,219 students · 06–08
● 38 opp40% FRL
Elem
Four Oaks Elementary
1,041 students · PK–05
69% FRL
High
Princeton High
1,024 students · 06–12
49% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
700 M. Durwood Stephenson Park, Smithfield, NC 27577
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.